Air cleaner



Nov. 6, 1928.

C. .F. KETTERING AIR CLEANER Filed Nov. 2 1925 .Patente'd- Nov. 6, 1928.

TUNITEVD" STATES: PATENT OFFICE.

oHAREEs KETTERING, or DAYTON, 0310, assreuoa TO 'GEITERALMOTORS RE- SEARCH CORPORATION, OF DETROIT mrcmean, a coEroRATI'oN or DELAWARE.

nIa'cLEanEa.

Application filed November 25, 1925. Serial No. 71,367.

It is the object of this invention to provide a practical air cleaner which may be applied to the air intake line of an internal combustion engine at very slight cost. Thecleaner' 6 which I have devised is of the Well known type in which separation of dust particles is eflected by taking advantage of their greater inertia as compared with the inertia of the molecules composing the air stream. This inertia separation-is accomplished by locating the cleaner in the path of .a strong current of air, such as is supplied by the usual,

cooling fan, or by the motion of-the. car, or

by both these agencies. 16 In the drawing I have shown my invention applied to the Chevrolet engine, although it is obvious that the invention may be utilized.

in connection with other Well known automobile power plants. The'Uhevrolet engine is provided with a rearwardly extending ex-. haust conduit around which is secured a casing serving as a stove or heater for the carburetor air supply. This casing is provided with openings at the end nearer the fan through which air enters the casingwhere it is heated by" contact with the hot exhaust conduit and is then conducted to the carburetor. ,My invention consists in applying a battle over the air intake openings, the bafilev being so constructed as to prevent direct en trance of the air currents caused by the fan as well as by the motion of the vehicle. A

cleaner such as described has been found to possess an elliciency of between and .35 and can beisu'pplied to the engine at very slightexpense.

In the drawings: v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile power plant with my invention applied 40 thereto.

a Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, showing the details of construction of the cleaner.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.-

The reference character 2 indicates an automobile power plant having an ex-.

haust conduit indicated at 4 extending" downwardly and rearwardly from the exhaust manifold. This is a feature of the present Chevrolet. engine. The engine-5 is provided with a heater or' stove comprisinga cylindrical casing 6 surrounding the exhaust conduit, the lower end of the casing being closed. by an annular cap indirated at 8, and the upper end of the casing 6 being closed by an annular cap indicated at 10. Apertures 12 are provided in the upper portion of the cylindrlcal member 6 and the lower portion of "the-member 6 isprovided with an outlet indicatedat 14: connected by 6 conduit-'16 't'o the customary carburetor 18.

In the actual Chevrolet construction the carburetor 18 is located on the opposite side of" the engine and the conduit- 16 crosses theengine and extends forward to the carbure- 6 tor, but for purposes of illustration I have shown the carburetor 18 on the same side of the engine as the exhaust conduit 4. It is to be understood, however, that the casing 6 extends outwardly from the side of the 71 engine and is freely exposed to the full strength of the air blast from the fan 20 as well as that resulting from the motion of the vehicle.

My invention consists in the application 71 of a bafiie which prevents the direct entrance of air currents into the openings 12 and thus effects a selection of clean air for the carburetor, the particles of dust carried by the air stream being carried .pastthe battle by virtue 84 of their greater inertia and thus being effectively prevented from entering the casing 6. This bafiie I have indicated by the reference character 22. -Inthe preferred form it is annular in shape and is outwardly flared to 84 shield the openings 12. IVhile the bafiie may be separately secured to the casing 6, I have preferred to form it'in one p ece with the top 10 of the casing, this for convenience and economy in manufacture. 9K The operation of the device should be manifest from the foregoing. The cleaner has been found to be effective and its cheapness and simplicity render it available for use upon cars in which costs are held to very 9: close limits.

I claim; 7 opening, the shield preventing the direct en- 1. The combination of an internal comtrance of air into the casing, and means for bustion engine having the-usu l carbureiiol, conducting air from said casing into the coolin fan, and exhaust conduit, a. portion carburetor.

I of s conduit being p e o the ast of 2. In the structure as defined b claim 1 15 the fan and extending rearwardly therefrom, said shield comprising an outwar 1y flaring a casing s'urroundingsaid COHdllit, said casannulus surrpunding the casing, ing having the end adjacent the fan closed, In testimony whereof I affix my signature. an opening in the casing adjacent the closed e 10 end, an annular shield extending over the CHARLES F. KETTERING.. 

